A Knight's Purpose
by lalalala1
Summary: A knight isn't just about weapons and combat. A knight is about purpose; fighting for things you care about, fighting for the ones you love, fighting for a cause you believe in. It defines them. We, the knights of the Grand Chase, understand that best.


This is just something I wanted to whip up in memory of the wonderful MMORPG, Grand Chase, which is closing down worldwide in April 2015. I loved and played this game for all these years, and now that it's dying, I felt I had to do something to honor it.

Note that I will DEFINITELY still be writing Grand Chase fan fiction in the future, even after the game closes down, because it's not like it'll get removed from this site. I feel like if I do that, I'll be keeping the game alive on here in my own little way, but I wanted to make something specifically meant for this occasion.

This may sound weird, but by wanting to make something specifically for this occasion, I mean something to honor it at the time of its death, something to remember it by. Yeah, it sounds weird, but in short, something that has honoring GC when it's dying as its PURPOSE. Something that's MEANT to be a tribute to GC like this, so here it is. While I know my current skills as a writer will in NO WAY be able to do this game justice, I feel like I have to do SOMETHING, so, I will.

Shout-out to StruggleZero for being my friend in Elsword. I've bumped into him a few times in Grand Chase, I believe, back before I played Elsword. He brought me the news Grand Chase was shutting down. Since I play it less than Elsword, I didn't know.

Without further ado, I present you my personal tribute to Grand Chase.

* * *

My sword was bloody. Not with Kaze'aze's blood, but my own.

We'd been at the top of her castle for hours, desperately fighting the Queen of Darkness. Her strength vastly overpowered ours. There was no way we could defeat her.

I was laying on the ground, barely conscious, dark spots clouding my vision. I could feel a liquid running down my neck that was no doubt blood. My sword was a few feet away from me, but I could barely move. I couldn't reach it.

My friends were on the ground, somewhere. I couldn't see them.

I never imagined this. I never imagined ultimately failing. I didn't think the Queen of Darkness would be this powerful, and here I am at her mercy. Would I never be able to find Elscud? Would I lose my life beforehand?

_No… No! I can't! I have to do this for Dad! For Mom!_ I thought. With the thought of my family empowering me, I made an effort to get up. But all I did was collapse after rising a few inches.

Kaze'aze in her true demon form strode toward me, taunting me.

"Haha, look at you. So weak. So _pitiful._ Do you honestly think you can kill me? The Queen of Darkness? Come, now. What is it that makes you think this? What is it that drives you to continue? What is it you fight for?" Kaze'aze mocked.

I fight for Elscud.

"I fight for Elscud," I sputtered. Was that it?

"I fight for my family." My mom and myself along with him. But that wasn't all, either.

"I fight not only for my family and myself, but for all of Bermesiah to defend it from you. I fight alongside my fellow knights of the Grand Chase, and I fight for them, as well. My name is Elesis Sieghart, and I fight for everyone." I had no idea where these words were coming from. All I could think about was my purpose: To hunt down and destroy Kaze'aze.

Destroy Kaze'aze.

This was my mission.

I had to complete it.

With new strength, I rose from the ground, without stumbling or falling, surprising not only Kaze'aze but myself. I grabbed my sword, and held it out to Kaze'aze.

In that moment, I realized something.

I realized that purpose makes a knight.

Knights are nothing without their purpose, their motive. A motive gives them something to fight for. Without a motive, you aren't a knight. A purpose is their driving force. It can even become part of your identity, as it was for me. A purpose is their strength. It empowers them.

Just as it empowered me.

Knights aren't just about weapons and combat. Knights…

Are about their purpose.

"Is that so?" Kaze'aze asked.

"Then come to me. I shall give you the same fate as your father, and sever you from Bermesiah forever!" Kaze'aze smacked her paw on the ground, and the resulting shock wave was all that was necessary to knock me back down. Yet, I came up again. Anger burned inside me. I would _not_ tolerate the failure of my own purpose, the thing which has brought me here all this way. I _couldn't_ fail, not here, not now.

"No. I will personally slash you into shreds with this very blade, and burn your pieces to ashes as revenge for what YOU DID TO MY FATHER!" I charged toward the Queen of Darkness with my sword in hand.

My friends were rising. I took no notice.

She swung her paw at me, and I merely swiped it away with a flick of my sword. She slashed with a claw that left purple tears in space behind, and I ducked under. When I was close enough, I leaped and slashed as hard as I could into her eye. The impact knocked me back, and I could see her covering her eye with a paw.

"Grr…. Insolent little PEST!" She let loose a furious roar that blew me further back, airborne. I skidded across the ground in pain when I landed, despite my armor. I heard a brief cry of "Elesis!"

It was just as before; the Queen of Darkness was too powerful. She charged toward me.

My vision was blurry, and the dark spots were coming back. My sword clattered to the ground once more. I was breathing heavily from the strain. Kaze'aze was approaching, getting closer by the second.

I could hear Kaze'aze taunting me, but I couldn't make out the words. I closed my eyes.

This was it.

Did it really have to be? Did I embark on this journey for nothing? To just die, so close to success... Was it all out of stupidity?

"FLAME ARROW!" As I opened my eyes, I saw a volley of fiery explosions suddenly engulf Kaze'aze mid-way, obscuring her from view. I could also see Arme, the Violet Mage I argued with and insulted on a daily basis (which I now felt bad about), using some healing magic on me, which relieved some of my pain.

My comrades were there for me.

"Elesis, you okay?" she asked, worry visible in her face.

"Yeah…" I nodded.

"Can you get up?" I stood, the movement made incredibly easy by Arme's magic.

"Mhm. Thanks."

"My name is Lire Eryuell, and I fight for the inhabitants of Eryuell Island!" I could faintly hear Lire's voice, giving a speech similar to mine. I slumped over to my sword and grabbed the hilt.

"My name is Arme Glenstid, and I fight for the Violet Mages!" Arme shouted from beside me.

"My name is Ronan Erudon, and I fight for the kingdom of Kanavan!" So on and so forth, the rest of the Grand Chase gave their names and what they fought for to the Queen of Darkness, as I did.

This was no time to be happy, but I couldn't help but smile as they mimicked my actions. Arme helped me walk. While I was still struggling, I was reluctant to accept her help on a task as simple as moving my legs.

"I can walk by myself, thanks," I insisted out of pride.

"Alright, if you say so," Arme replied, "Ready?" I nodded, and intuition told me what to do next.

The Grand Chase gave a unified yell.

"We are the Grand Chase, and we fight for everyone!"

_Swords drawn, arrows high  
__Staffs poised, pointed to the sky  
Gather your voice and let fly  
One final guttural cry  
_

_To fight for what you believe in  
__To remember what you lost to win  
__To honor what you understand  
__To change fate with your two bare hands_

_We are knights  
__Of the Grand Chase_

_We are warriors  
__Of the Grand Chase_

_We are fighters  
__Of the Grand Chase_

_We are members  
__Of the Grand Chase_

_To fight for things you have love for  
__Of the truth, uncover a bit more  
__To guard the people of your land  
__To change fate with your two bare hands_

_We are knights  
__Of the Grand Chase_

_We are warriors  
__Of the Grand Chase_

_We are fighters  
__Of the Grand Chase_

_We are members  
__Of the Grand Chase_

_To fight for those whom you hold dear  
__To drive out darkness that is here  
__To get the vengeance you demand  
__To change fate with your two bare hands_

_We are  
__The Grand Chase!_

* * *

I know this was awful, I'm so sorry. But I had to do it. For Grand Chase. Long live the Chase.

I love you, Grand Chase. May you rest in peace.

You will always be at the bottom of my heart. Forever.


End file.
